Leaf-miner
and case-bearer: The species spends two years as a larva, the first one-and-a-half
years in a small pistol-case, and in the second spring building
a long straight case which is dark brown and rather distinctive
(UKMoths).
The
lava lives from autumn until summer next year. In autumn a composite
leaf case is made, shaped like the handle of a walking stick. Early
in the following spring a tubular leaf case is made that in the
end is rather large (10 mm) and is positioned vertically on the
leaf; mouth angle 90° (Bladmineerders van Europa).
Larva: The larvae of moths have a head capsule and chewing mouthparts with opposable mandibles (see video of a gracillarid larva feeding), six thoracic legs and abdominal legs (see examples).
The larva is illustrated in Bladmineerders van Europa.
Pupa: The pupae of moths have visible head appendages, wings and legs which lie in sheaths (see examples).
Adult:
The adult is illustrated in UKMoths.
The species is included in mothdissection.co.uk.
Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:
Hosts
elsewhere:
Time
of year - larvae: Two-year life-cycle. September, feeding again
from April to June. After aestivation and a second winter, feeding
is completed in June of the second year (British
leafminers).
Time
of year - adults: July (UKMoths).
Distribution
in Great Britain and Ireland: Occurs locally in the south
east of England (UKMoths)
including Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Dorset, East Kent, East Suffolk, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Isle of Wight, Middlesex, North Essex, South Essex, Surrey, West Gloucestershire, West Kent, West Norfolk and West Suffolk (NBN
Atlas)
and the Channel Is. (Fauna Europaea).
Distribution
elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria,
Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Danish mainland, Estonia, Finland,
French mainland, Germany, Greek mainland, Hungary, Italian mainland,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norwegian mainland, Poland, Romania, Sardinia,
Sicily, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and The Netherlands.
Also East Palaearctic and Near East (Fauna Europaea).
NBN Atlas links to known host species:
Cotoneaster
bacillaris, Cotoneaster
integerrimus, Crataegus
laevigata, Cydonia
oblonga, Malus
baccata, Malus
pumila, Malus
floribunda, Malus
sylvestris, Mespilus
germanica, Prunus
avium, Prunus
cerasifera, Prunus
cerasus, Prunus
domestica, Prunus
spinosa, Pyrus
communis, Sorbus
aria, Sorbus
aucuparia, Sorbus
intermedia, Spiraea
x vanhouttei |
British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere:
Chalcidoidea |
|
Copidosoma peticus (Walker, 1846) |
Encyrtidae: Encyrtinae |
Pteromalus semotus (Walker, 1834) |
Pteromalidae: Pteromalinae |
Ichneumonoidea - Links to species no longer available |
|
Therophilus mediator (Nees, 1814) |
Braconidae: Agathidinae |
Chelonus microphtalmus Wesmael, 1838 |
Braconidae: Cheloninae |
Dolichogenidea decora (Haliday, 1834) |
Braconidae: Microgastrinae |
Dolichogenidea dilecta (Haliday, 1834) |
Braconidae: Microgastrinae |
Dolichogenidea lemariei (Nixon, 1961) |
Braconidae: Microgastrinae |
Orgilus rugosus (Nees, 1834) |
Braconidae: Orgilinae |
Bathyplectes infernalis (Gravenhorst, 1820) |
Ichneumonidae: Campopleginae |
Blapsidotes vicinus (Gravenhorst, 1829) |
Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae |
Dichrogaster aestivalis (Gravenhorst, 1829) |
Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae |
Eudelus scabriculus (Thomson, 1884) |
Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae |
Gelis areator (Panzer, 1804) |
Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae |
Itoplectis alternans (Gravenhorst, 1829) |
Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae |
Scambus inanis (Schrank, 1802) |
Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae |
|